


Forgiveness

by greenfire246



Category: Into the Woods (2014), Into the Woods - Sondheim/Lapine
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Infidelity, Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:01:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22241467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenfire246/pseuds/greenfire246
Summary: A look into the marriage between The Baker and his Wife. They were happy...weren't they?
Relationships: Baker's Wife/Cinderella's Prince (Into the Woods), Baker/Baker's Wife (Into the Woods)
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

The Baker's Wife kneaded bread between her fingers absentmindedly, the movements having been committed to memory a long time ago. At first, it had taken some getting used to, being the Baker's wife. Learning the trade and solidifying herself as his partner in the craft. The actions themselves weren't particularly difficult, it had been moreso learning her role. The wife of the Baker. She was no longer the single maiden, but a full-time wife.

Making bread was an art, but it hadn't been hard to pick up. As she worked, her mind wandered. Her husband had been distant recently, working later. They had been trying to concieve a child to no avail, and it was taking a mental toll on both of them. When they were together, things no longer felt as easy. It felt stale, boring, rote. She wanted new experiences, adventure, excitement...she shook her head angrily. No. This was happiness. She was happy. She had to be.

"Ow!" She cried out, slipping up and cutting herself on the knife she was working with. She grabbed a cloth with her right hand while sucking her left between her lips to staunch the flow of blood. While she reached for the cloth, she heard the door open, her Baker returning from a long day of work. Hanging up his hat then his coat in the same order as every other day. Turning to her right after with a weary smile, the same smile as the day before and the day before that. Sometimes the Baker's Wife felt as though she were living out some sort of play, reciting lines and blocking as if only acting. Was she only acting?

"Good day?" She asked, cleaning off the cut on her hand.

"Better now" He smiled, the expression not quite reaching his eyes. She felt him approach from behind, hugging her and kissing her on the cheek. He sniffed greedily at the food cooking, while his wife rolled her eyes. "Is that beef stew?"

"And cornbread, yes" The Baker went to open the pot, sniffing again and looking as if he were considering using the spoon for a quick taste. The Baker's Wife brandished the knife at him, her other hand on her hip. "It'll be ready in about ten minutes. Patience!" The Baker jumped back as if scalded, raising his hand in surrender and eyeing the knife warily. The Baker's Wife creased her eyes in confusion, following his line of sight and placing the knife down.

"Right, sorry! It just looks so good" The Baker's Wife raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. The Baker laughed sheepishly. "I'll just go get cleaned up then" The Baker's Wife took a moment then to consider him. The weariness in his eyes, the slight slump in his shoulders, the nervous wringing of his hands. The flour still on his hands, his arms, his hair. He worked hard for this life, for them. She shouldn't be so hard on him. He eyed her warily as he went to get cleaned up and she realized she'd been staring blankly at him without saying anything.

"I should think so" She snorted to cover up her momentary lapse.

"Hey!" He called back as he passed her. She smiled to herself, fond despite it all. She looked back at her finger, seeing that the cut had closed up, and she returned to making the bread. She was happy. Maybe not all the time, but who ever was? She was content. She had to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My attempt at showing what married life might have looked like for The Baker and his wife before all of the tragedy and drama of the show!


	2. Chapter 2

This was not what she had meant when she'd asked for adventure. Despite that, The Baker's wife couldn't deny that she hadn't felt this excited in years. The Baker and the Baker's Wife weren't supposed to be heroes on a quest. They weren't supposed to fight for their happily ever after against witches, wolves, and woods. And even if they were, surely the wife was supposed to be at home waiting for her husband to do the messy work. She felt a thrill at that thought. No. This was her destiny too. 

Still. They were running out of time and their happy ending was far from secured. If they didn't hurry up, she would never have a child and she would return to her boring stale marriage to live out what didn't feel like a happy ending anymore. To top it all off, her husband refused to accept her help and kept shooting her worried glances when he thought she wasn't looking. As if she were some prized possession to be kept upon a shelf, safe and far away from harm. As if she didn't have her own autonomy. When had their marriage become this? Had it always been?

"I know!" The Baker shouted in frustration. The Baker's Wife jumped back, a hand to her heart. "You- You were right. I can't do this on my own." The Baker twitched, struggling from the effort of getting the words out, "I need your help"

"Well you don't need to shout it!" His wife scolded him, trying to settle her racing heart.

"I don't need to..." The Baker stopped, turning to his wife as if steeling himself for a fight. "Look, I'm sorry. I was wrong." She raised an eyebrow. This wasn't something she heard everyday. "I just...I don't want to see you hurt."

The Baker's Wife stopped at the earnestness in his tone and expression, her face softening in response. This impossible man made it hard to stay mad, even when he was being an idiot. He looked so lost and confused in that moment, so filled with concern for her, that she felt her resolve weaken. She reached out, gently placing a hand on his cheek. 

"And I wouldn't be hurt if harm came to you?" The Baker leaned into her touch instinctively, even as his eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't even considered that. "Oh, honestly."

"Hey!" He pulled back, defensive, "I'm trying to protect you!"

"I don't need protecting!" 

"I'm your husband! That's my job!"

"Well I'm your wife! It's my job to make sure you stay out of trouble!" They had invaded each other's space in the course of their argument, their temper's steadily rising. There was a pause as tension crackled in the air, a tension that had been absent for the past few years of their marriage. They stood like that for an extended beat, both captured in the moment, before The Baker's Wife burst out laughing.

"Look at us! Bickering and squabbling! What are we doing?" But her husband wasn't laughing. Instead, his eyes had flickered to her lips, his intent clear. She felt her heart stutter again, but this time it wasn't from a jump scare. Oh, how she had missed this..."What are we doing?" She cried, suddenly pulling back, "Time is running out!" The Baker shook his head as if recovering from a spell, still lost in the moment. But he recovered quickly, taking his wife into his arms.

"Hey, hey, hey, shhhhh. We've got time" He pulled back, still holding her shoulders, "We can do this" He offered her a small smile, moving his hands from her shoulders to clasp her hands in his, "Together"

He leaned forward then, gently brushing his lips against his wifes. Not a kiss of passion, but of promise. A promise that no matter what, they were in this together. Come what may, they would face it as one. He pulled back, unable to hold back a grin, an expression that was mirrored by his wife. It had been too long since she'd seen this side of her husband and she's missed it. This was the man she had fallen in love with. And they could face witches, wolves, and the woods...together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is supposed to take place instead of "It Takes Two". I love the song though!


	3. Chapter 3

This was not how the story was supposed to go. The Baker's Wife knew her lines, she knew her role, she knew her story. It was in her very title. She was the wife of the baker. And the wife of the baker did not make out with Prince Charming. Even if he was charming, handsome, and considerate. Even if he had a mouth that was currenly giving her sinful thoughts....no! 

"Wait, wait, wait!" The Baker's wife shoved the Prince away, trying to clear her head. "We can't do this!" What was she thinking? She couldn't do this to her husband! He loved her, they were married, it would break his heart...and he wasn't the only one who would be hurt, "You have a princess" The Prince seemed taken aback, confused as to the point she was trying to make. 

"Well, yes." He tilted his head , "I do"

"And I have a.." The Baker's Wife was breathing deeply, her face flush, "...a Baker" The Prince's eyes finally clouded in understanding.

"Of course, you're right." The Baker's Wife sighed, glad she'd put a stop to the madness before it could go too far. But she still couldn't help but feel a niggling sense of disappointment. She started at that thought. No. She wasn't disappointed. She was doing the right thing. "How foolish of me" The Prince took a step back as if ashamed of himself and The Baker's Wife ran a hand through her hair self-consciously. It was a moment of weakness. That was all. One foolish moment. Her husband would never know. 

The Prince looked back up at her again, a gleam of mischevious desire in his eyes, "Foolishness can happen in the woods", he took a step forward "Once again, please"

Before the Baker's Wife could take stock of the quick change, the Prince kissed her again, silencing any protests she may have had. The kiss was fierce and passionate and made her forget why she'd ever wanted to protest in the first place. What harm could a few more kisses do anyway? She barely registered as the Prince kept talking, her mind in a tug-of-war betwen desire and duty. Wasn't this adventure? Wasn't this excitement? If it was so wrong...why did it feel so right? She could feel a squirminess settling in her gut, though whether it was desire or guilt was difficult to tell. Could she really do this to her husband? Was she really that kind of woman?

The kisses grew deeper and it wasn't long before the Prince started unbuckling his belt and working on the stings of her dress. Panic gripped her anew as the reality of the situation hit her. She was about to cheat on her husband. Her husband who worked hard every day to provide for their family, who went on a quest with her so she could have a child, who was there for her every day come what may...he hadn't even been gone a day before she leapt into another man's arms.

"No, we can't..." And just like that, the spell was broken. The Prince stepped back, watching her as if waiting for her next move. Scrutinizing her.

"Say the word and I will be gone. One word. And I will return to my wife and you can return to your..." He paused, a slight sneer on his perfect lips, "...your baker"

She should have stepped back. She could have run away then, returned to her husband, and forgotten all of this. She shouldn't have even hesitated. But...when would a chance like this come around again? How many people could say they had slept with a prince? All that was waiting for her in her little village was a life of boredom. What could one night hurt? She stepped forward before she could talk herself out of it, kissing the Prince and beginning to untie his shirt. She felt him smile against her lips

\---

When she awoke, the Baker's Wife was aglow in a sort of haze that she hadn't felt since the early days of her marriage. This was how passion was supposed to feel. This was the dream. The dream...as the glow subsided, she realized that the Prince was already standing, tying the last knot on his shirt, ready to go onto his next adventure. Of course he wouldn't stay...what had she been thinking? Guilt and emptiness quickly replaced her previous giddiness. What had she done? The Prince turned to her then, his eyes distant and bored as if merely reciting lines. 

"I shall not forget you. How brave you are to be alone in the woods. How alive you made me feel..." He leaned down, grasping her hands in his, his own foreign and cold. She barely registered the touch before he was off on his horse, off to the next challenge. What had she done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thought this scene was interesting in the play, since The Baker's Wife is such an interesting deconstruction. It was fun to write this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

"What was that?" The Baker's Wife sat up in a daze, hardly taking in her suroundings. She touched her fingers to her lips. She could still feel the prince's kisses, she could see the marks he had made on her body, she could feel her heart thumping madly in her chest. It had to be real. She grabbed her clothing as her mind raced, barely taking note of her movements.

"Was it wrong? Am I mad? Is that all? Does he miss me?" She stopped, her anxiety spiking. What if she said something wrong? What if she wasn't...wasn't good enough? "Was he suddenly getting bored with me?" 

She shook her head, standing up to finish tying her clothes. This was a fruitless train of thought. There were giants, witches, and happily ever afters to worry about. Her husband was out there somewhere...her husband! The Baker's Wife leaned against a tree, her legs shaking. How could she have forgotten her husband so easily? While he was out there in the woods, fighting for a better tomorrow for her and their child, she was busy sleeping with another man. 

"First a witch, then a child, then a prince, then a moment, who can live in the woods?" She got up, steeling her shoulders back and lifting her chin. For one night, she had touched her dreams. "And to get what you wish only just for a moment, these are dangerous woods!" She wouldn't get caught up in this fairytale, was all. She'd had her fun, had her little adventure, felt some excitement. But she was the Baker's Wife. She had a husband and child. Dreams never lasted forever.

"Now I understand, and it's time-"

"NO!" The Baker's Wife turned at the shout, seeing her husband reaching out to her. She felt herself go cold, at first assuming that somehow he knew what she had done. How could she even begin to explain? But a moment later, she saw that he wasn't looking at her, but above her. Specifically, at a giantess foot poised to stomp her to dust. She turned to her husband in a panic, her legs frozen.

"I'm so sorr-" Before she could finish her sentence, the giantess kicked her out of the way like some annoying vermin, knocking her against a tree. Hard enough to not only to knock her out, but to kill. She struggled to breath, slowly lifting a hand to her stomach which was covered in blood. Was that a branch protruding out? It looked so funny like that...she felt a hand cover hers, warm and gentle. It took some effort, but she lifted her eyes to the arm, then neck, then face of the man she loved. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" She felt tears slip down her face, "I'm so, so..."

"Shhh, it's okay" The Baker smiled lifting his other hand to cradle her face. "You're forgiven. You're always forgiven"

"But the prince...He and I..." She continued, forcing the words out. He needed to know. They made eye contact for a moment and she knew he understood. A dark look flashed across his face for a moment, before being replaced with gentle concern and love. No. He needed to hate her for what she had done. Only then would the hurt be bearable, "I shouldn't..."

"It's okay. It's alright now" Of course he would forgive her. Wasn't that what love was? Now she understood. Now, at the end of all things, she finally understood. She lifted a hand to touch his face, but her time had run out. Her hand dropped as the life left her eyes. The Baker finally cracked in that moment, falling to his knees and craddling his dead wife in his arms as he cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I begin to deviate from the original play. I've always been curious how The Baker might react if he had known about his wife's affair.


	5. Chapter 5

His wife was dead. He'd left her alone for a short period of time and she had slept with a prince and then died. It felt too extreme to be real, like a nightmare he was unable to awaken from. This couldn't be how their story ended. What ever happened to happily ever after? Where had he gone wrong? He's worked hard, loved his wife, and had done everything in his power to protect her and their child. This was not the way the story was supposed to end.

But none of it mattered now because he could feel his wife's lifeless body in his arms. He gently closed her eyes, unable to look any longer into her glassy lifeless orbs. Unable to live with the reminder of what had happened. His wife. She was dead. It didn't feel real.

"Baker!" He heard a female voice call out as if from a faraway distance, as if from a dream. "Look out!" The Baker glanced up to see what Cinderella was staring at only to see that the Giantess was about to attack again. What did it matter anyway? Still, his heart started racing and he got to his feet and ran, his survival instinct kicking in not a moment too soon. Within seconds, the Giantess had uprooted the tree his wife had been leaning against and was chasing after him. His wife! He couldn't just leave her there!

"NO!"

"It's too late!" Cinderella shouted, grabbing the baker, "She's gone!"

"No, she can't be!" He whirled around at Cinderella, his eyes wide and desparate "She has to...she's fine, she just..."

"You need to run!" She grabbed him by the hand then, physically dragging him through the woods to where Jack and Little Red were waiting with his kid. He distantly heard the Witch behind them holding off the giantess with some sort of magic, but he was too distracted to pay much care to the altercation. The Baker fell to his knees, putting his head into his hands. When would this nightmare end? He heard some brief arguing and then angry footsteps approached him, roughly hoisting him up. The Baker tried to blink away his tears, but there wasn't time. Even had there been, The Baker didn't have the energy to fight it. He was just so tired.

"Get up! You think the giantess will go away on her own? That you can just sit around and mope?" The Witch spat, "You're lucky you have me around!" 

"I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for you!" The Baker screamed back in fury, "My wife-" He stopped cold, the image of his wife's lifeless body crossing his mind. Where was she now? After everything, he had just left her. How could he have left her? He clenched his fist, trying to hold the sobs at bay.

"Yes, yes, that's all very tragic" The witch snorted, "And you wouldn't have been cursed had your father not stolen my beans. Now focus! We just need to take Jack and-"

"You can't hand me over to them!" Jack interupted, looking at the Baker with pleading eyes. Cinderella looked between the three of them, gently pulling Jack back.

"Don't worry, you're not going anywhere."

"It would make us implicit in murder if we handed him over..." Little Red spoke up, standing off to the side with his child, and scratching her chin. The Baker ran over and she handed him back his child, watching him carefully. 

"What does it matter if we're all dead?" The Witch scoffed, "The boy knew what he was doing and it's time he takes responsibility or we'll all die for his mistakes!"

"NO!" both Cinderella and Little Red shouted. While the four continued to bicker back and forth, the Baker slowly backed away into a nearby tree. What did any of it matter? His child started crying in his arms at the cacophony and he blinked rapidly, looking between the fighting parties. How did you get a child to stop crying? That was his wife's job! His wife...he felt a sudden connection with the baby in his arms. They were all they had left. He wanted to cry too.

"Hey, are you-" Little Red asked, having heard the babies cries. It seemed everyone had stopped arguing for a moment, but the shouting didn't stop. It never stopped...the Baker backed away, looking between the faces of his friends...were they his friends? Who were these people who he faced death and sorrow with at the end of all things? 

"STOP!" The Baker shouted, backing away, " I'm done! I don't...I don't care about your giants and giantesses and beans and wishes and all of it!" He looked between the four of them, suddenly furious. How dare they act so sympathetic and innocent? This was their fault! "We wouldn't even be in this mess had you not stolen the gold in the first place, you not planted those infernal beans, and your prince not..." The Baker's voice caught as he turned away, "I'm taking my child and we're leaving" The Baker nodded as if affirming his decision then turned.

"Where will you go?" Cinderella asked quietly, her face a mix of hurt and understanding. In fact, they all looked hurt and abashed. He wished he could find the will to care anymore. 

"Anywhere but here" The Baker turned and left, unsure of where he would go next. There was no home waiting for him anymore. But anything was better than where he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my version of "Your Fault"! It was tough adding in so many new characters and switching perspectives, but hopefully it turned out okay!


	6. Chapter 6

If the Baker had thought himself lost before, it did not compare to how lost he was now. Before, he had been following a general goal, a general path towards his happy ending. Now? Now he was just stumbling away. Away from the confusion. Away from the lies, the murder, the selfishness. Away from his pain. Was there no one in this world he could trust? The Baker stopped by a nest of trees as the baby in his arms started sobbing. He didn't know how to take care of a baby! Looking at the state of things, he couldn't blame the kid. Was this the world he would grow into? What was there for this child but despair and horror? The baby stopped crying for a moment, but only a moment, before wailing loudly.

"Oh no, no, no, no..." The Baker murmured, trying to shush him. There was a giantess hell-bent on revenge running loose! He couldn't save his wife, but he'd be damned if he let the giantess take his child too. "Shhh, it's okay. It's going to be okay..." His mind traveled to his wife saying the same thing before she died and the Baker started to cry too. "Oh, who am I kidding?"

"Here" The Baker's head snapped up to see Cinderella standing a few feet away, her arms outstretched. The Baker stared at her, before glancing between her and his baby. The baby cried harder and Cinderella took a few steps closer, her hands raised in a defensive gesture. The Baker hesitated a moment before handing the child to Cinderella. "Shhh, there there. That's better" Cinderella cooed, letting the baby grab onto her finger. The baby grew distracted and slowly stopped crying as Cinderella rocked him gently in her arms. The Baker's jaw dropped.

"How did you do that?"

"Babies can sense emotions" Cinderella replied, still focused on the baby with a tender expression. She glanced up briefly to shoot the Baker a knowing look. 

"Yeah, well..." He rubbed a hand over his face, gesturing wildly at the surrounding area, "This wasn't exactly how the story was supposed to go"

"I wonder if there's any such thing as "supposed to"" Cinderella mused, "Maybe things just happen"

"Just what I need! More riddles." The Baker muttered, throwing his hands up and walking off. But there was no escape. No matter how far he ran, his problems would always be waiting for him. There was nowhere he could go where they would all just disappear. The Baker stopped, his shoulders sagging, as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I am sorry" Cinderella whispered, her voice far away. "Your wife was a good lady" The Baker's shoulders tightened and he snorted, before startling and blinking away tears. He loved his wife. She was a good person. Nothing could ever change that.

"No, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that! I just-" The Baker mumbled to himself, frustrated. Was this how he was to remember his wife? As a lying and deceitful woman? As bad? No. He could remember when they'd first met, how young and lively they had been. They had loved each other so much at one point in time. He remembered their years together as husband and wife, smiling and laughing as they built a life together. Where had he gone wrong? "I knew we should have stayed at home!" The Baker cried out, turning around, "When did this all get so complicated?"

Cinderella stood for a moment, watching the Baker. Watching the frustration, anger, and confusion roll off of him in waves as he implored in her an answer that would make everything right. Something she could offer that would give meaning to all that had happened over the last few days. Cinderella did not have an answer.

"Was it ever simple?" She asked in return. The Baker crumpled, visibly deflating before her eyes. He looked down. "No one can be good all the time" Cinderella continued, "Your wife loved you. Nothing can change that"

The Baker sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Once he'd gathered himself, he took a long look at Cinderella and his child. Perhaps he wasn't the only one who had suffered on his adventures in the woods. Had the Prince ever truly loved Cinderella? He knew he had loved his wife and he knew that she had loved him. Perhaps a few bad days didn't erase a lifetime's worth of memories. It didn't change all that had happened, but it was a start. The Baker reached out to Cinderella and she hesitated for a moment before handing back the baby. The baby remained sleeping in his arms. Whatever may come, he would give everything he was and everything he had to keep this child safe from harm.

"When did you get so wise?" Cinderella just smiled, reaching out a hand to the Baker.

"Come on. We've got a giantess to stop"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished a fic! I also replaced the "mystery man" with Cinderella for the purposes of the story. Hopefully I did a decent job at exploring the complicated emotions of the story.


End file.
